1. Field of Invention
This invention is an improvement, relating to Floriculture, as pertains to the florist industry. The primary object being an artificial stem device for the lengthening, strengthening and nurturing of flower stems, in a natural, damaged, or cut short state. Secondary objectives include combining this vehicle for the transmission of water with a means of mounting and arranging. Tertiary objectives include using this device as a means for dry mounting or transport of these flowers.
2. Description of Prior Art
In the Florist Industry there are very specific limitations, the most serious being varietal versatility, cost, and perishability. Very often stem length, along with woody, weak, clustered or damaged stems, will impede usability. The sheer cost of long stem orders adds unnecessary exclusivity. These limitations exacerbate the task of designer creativity and customer satisfaction. The more versatile the flower, the more it is used. Short natural stems will simply not lend themselves to large arrangements. Clustered heads, which should be a bonus, are stripped to a single head. Damaged, unruly, or weak stems are disposed of rather than used. The accrued value of these castaways is considerable. Consequently, the retailer, knowing the liability of unusable stock, relies heavily on all purpose standards. These facts lead to conservative buying on both sides of the counter, and contribute to a design repetition that is inevitably stultifying to long term customers.
These concerns are compounded by perishability during transport. The time spent, in dry transportation of woody stemmed varieties, is critically important to the longevity of their bloom. Soft stemmed varieties are frequent victims to the rubber banding of bunches. These circumstances of increased risk, along with neglected cut flower purchases, often make revivification impossible. The solution to these problems would be welcomed by the floral business at large.
Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,234 Aug. 15, 1978, Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,604 Mar. 31, 1992 (FIG. 5), and Gallo U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 07/294,165 1989, are among the few that address the invention of an artificial stem device. These transmit water from a remote source to the flower head, via an open-ended tube with an inserted piece of absorbent material. The unit of absorbent material is then affixed or glued, within the tube, to avoid displacement during flower stem insertion. These inventions require a certain amount of tedious fabrication. Each employs water absorption mediums that have relatively inefficient draw and retention capacities. Conduits of flocked or chenille wire, cotton, sponges, and blotter paper are not state of the art flow conductors. They lack the proper density to retain sufficient amounts of water beyond the forces of gravity and the drying action of air. These are best suited for short term applications only.
Other patent issues that allow for water transmission, albeit not from a remote source, are Wollen U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,936 Dec. 30, 1975, and Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,604 Mar. 31, 1992 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, & 7). These are for the most part centered around the insertion of natural stems in limited self-contained water reservoirs (chambers), used mostly for dry mount applications. They employ much the same, in small amounts, of inefficient water absorbing materials. However, Wollen does allude to the possible use of other absorbent materials and broadly states, "absorbent means contained within said chamber."
Floral foam, now in the public domain, remains the state of the art absorption medium. In all cases it is used only for the base medium retention of water. The above Patent issues disregard its ability for the remote transmission of same.
There are capped tube accessories, also in the public domain, and large enough to be filled exclusively with water. However, their bulk makes them unwieldy and extremely difficult to camouflage, which makes them poor candidates for stem extension. In the case of funeral arrangements they are difficult to bunch and cost prohibitive, for the quantities needed. Subsequently, flowers are dry picked into a moistureless base medium (Styrofoam) and wilt rapidly. Only the hardiest varieties are used for this purpose, eliminating a vast selection of current choices. This designation renders them remotely unappealing and unsalable for other occasions.
One patent issue for an improved artificial stem speaks well of current antiquated methods, Craig U.S. Pat. No. 0,144,446 Nov. 11, 1873, uses no absorbent material and wire only. This is very similar to the methods used in the fabrication of dry mounted wearables in 1995.
Another requirement indigenous to the aforementioned Gallo patents, and artificial stem issues, Thomas U.S. Pat. No. 2,331,440 Oct. 12, 1943, Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,462 Sep. 29, 1964, and Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,889 January 1971, is the necessity of impaling flower heads on the various wire components that are the spines of these artificial stems. This method, for the purpose of affixing the flower, decreases the water absorption potential of the natural stem. It displaces critical cells within the stem wall, exposes the same to increased withering, and runs the risk of splitting the flower. Preservation of cut flowers requires the least possible damage to an already disrupted organism, rendering this method intrusive at best.
Floral picks are devices used to facilitate the insertion of a natural stem into a base medium, for the purpose of arranging. They are essentially made of wood, metal, or plastic with a means of strapping or holding the flower stem. This reinforces and lengthens the stem. Simply, it may provide the stem with a pointed end. Examples of which are Kamrass U.S. Pat. No. 1,990,407 Feb. 5, 1935, Reichelt U.S. Pat. No. 2,249,567 Jul. 15, 1941, Brutocao U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,109 Oct. 25, 1949, and Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,568. They are essentially similar in nature, and employ no means of water transmission or retention. These have proven to be useful tools for dry applications of limited time, or in wet mediums, when stems are long enough to need only strengthening. Large water tube accessories can be adapted as picks, with the addition of a pointed bottom or wooden extensions. While they may work for some applications, they still pose the problems of concealment previously noted.
Flower head support devices such as those in Court U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,417 Oct. 29, 1991, and Ahmed U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,713 Mar. 15, 1994 are meant to combat the serious problem of delayed flower head wilt. They are used to eliminate the tedious wiring of rose heads, a potentially injurious rectification process. The dry transportation of flowers can cause stem air entrapment resulting in head droop. This usually occurs after initial revivification. This is especially true of roses based in floral foam mediums and frequently true in water only applications. The two inventions mentioned above do not address the already serious condition of the blossom. Its life span has been compromised. Ignoring this may be feasible for short term applications. It is however, potentially disastrous for the period of maximum bloom. Theoretically the application of head supports prior to arranging may facilitate in the removal of air blockage, which may be well applied in situations where natural long stems are a requirement. Although, for most arrangements that inadvertently conceal stems, this is a time consuming and costly resolve. In closing there is the added issue of concealing the apparatus itself, previously noted, and applying here as well.